Saved Views

Saved views, which are viewed in the Library section of the Kentik portal, are covered in the following topics:

An example saved views page.
 

About Saved Views

A saved view is a look at traffic using a saved collection of query settings in the sidebar (see Query Sidebar Controls). Saved views may be created from the following locations:

  • Data Explorer: Choose Create Saved View from the Actions menu (see Create Saved View). The view will represent the state of Data Explorer at the time that view is saved.
  • Library: Choose New Saved View from the drop-down Add menu. The view will initially represent the default state of a new instance of Data Explorer. Use the controls of the Query sidebar to tailor the settings for the new view.

Either of the above actions will open the Add Saved View dialog, where you'll set the properties of the view (see Saved View Properties), then click Save to create the new view. Once created, saved views are managed via the Library (choose Library from the main portal menu), where they can either be viewed and shared directly or added as a panel to a dashboard.

Saved View Visibility

Saved View visibility determines which users have access to a given saved view:

  • Private: Views that you save only for your own personal use. No one else has access.
    Note: In the Library, Private saved views are indicated with an eye icon that's overlaid on the saved view icon at the left of each view's card (see Views List Items).
  • Shared: Views saved by any user in your organization. All users in your organization have access.
 

Saved View Page

The Library's pages for display of individual saved views are covered in the following topics:

 
top  |  section

Saved View Access

Each saved view is displayed on an individual saved view page that is accessed from the view's card in a list in the Library (see Views lists in Library Page Sections).

 
top  |  section

Saved View Layout

The layout of a saved view page is effectively the same as a page in Data Explorer, with the following main areas (including differences as noted):

  • SubNav controls: Page-wide controls, including Refresh, Share, Actions, and Query (see Explorer SubNav Controls).
    Note: In the SubNav on a Saved View page:
    - The Query button found in Data Explorer is replaced with the Options button.
    - The options on the Actions menu are specific to a saved view rather than to Data Explorer (see Saved View Actions).
  • Main display: An area for display of query results, which in most cases is made up of a visualization (see Data Explorer Chart) and an accompanying table (see Data Explorer Table).
    Note: On a saved view page a Favorite icon appears to the left of the view's title, enabling you to add the view to the Library's Favorites List.
  • Explorer Query sidebar: The sidebar contains the controls used to specify the query whose results are returned in the display area. These query settings are detailed in Query Sidebar Controls.
    Note: On a saved view page:
    - The sidebar is opened with the Options button.
    - The sidebar includes the Save and Revert buttons, whose usage is covered in Edit View Query.
 
top  |  section

Saved View Actions

The Actions menu on an individual saved views page is nearly but not exactly the same as the context menu on a saved views card in the Library's views lists. The menu includes the following options:

  • Export: Opens a submenu from which you can choose among various forms in which the saved view can exported (see Portal Export Options).
  • Subscribe: Opens the Subscribe dialog enabling you to create a subscription for this saved view. The form in the Subscription dialog is the same as on the Subscription tab of the Share dialog, which is covered in Subscription Tab UI.
  • Unsubscribe: If you’re subscribed to this saved view, this option opens a dialog enabling you to confirm that you wish to be removed from the subscription.
  • Add to Observation Deck: Add the view to your Observation Deck.
  • Add To New Dashboard: Opens the Add Dashboard dialog (see Dashboard Dialogs), enabling you to create a new dashboard to which you can add this saved view as a panel.
    Note: A dashboard panel created from a saved view is completely independent of that saved view, and modifications to one will have effect on the other.
  • Add To Existing Dashboard: Opens the Add Data Explorer View Panel dialog, where you can specify the dashboard to which this saved view will be added as a panel.
    Note: See note above.
  • Preview as Tenant (only present in accounts that use My Kentik Portal): Opens a submenu from which you can choose an MKP tenant, after which you'll be taken to the saved view as it would appear to that tenant.
  • Show API Call: Provides access to a set of dialogs that contain code (cURL or JSON) that can be used to return the current view (content of the display area) from the Kentik Query API. See Show API Call.
  • Remove: Opens a confirmation popup that enables you to remove the saved view from your organization.
 

Saved View Dialogs

The dialogs used to set the properties of a saved view are covered in the following topics:

 
top  |  section

About Saved View Dialogs

Saved view properties are managed with the following dialogs:

  • Add Saved View: Used to define the properties of a new saved view. This dialog is opened when you first create a saved view (see Create a View).
  • Edit Saved View: Used to modify the properties of an existing saved view. This dialog is opened when you choose the Edit Properties option on the Saved View Context Menu).
 
top  |  section

Saved View Dialogs UI

The Add Saved View and Saved View Properties dialogs share the same layout and the following common UI elements:

  • Close button: Click the X in the upper right corner to close the dialog. All elements will be restored to their values at the time the dialog was opened.
  • Cancel button: Cancel the add Saved View or edit Saved View operation and exit the dialog. All elements will be restored to their values at the time the dialog was opened.
  • Add Saved View button (Add Saved View dialog only): Save settings for the new Saved View and exit the dialog.
  • Save button (Saved View Properties dialog only): Save changes to Saved View settings and exit the dialog.
 
top  |  section

Saved View Properties

The properties of a saved view are set with the fields and controls of the Add Saved View dialog when a view is first saved (see Create a View), and may be subsequently edited in the Saved View Properties dialog (see Edit a View). The properties are described in the following table:

Field Type Description
Name Field Required: A user-specified descriptive name for the view.
Description Field Optional: Any text added by the user to explain the characteristics and utility of the view.
Note: The more informative your description is, the easier it will be for team members to determine how the view might be useful.
Category Drop-down menu Optional: Choose an existing category that the view will belong to in the Library, or create a new category to which the view should be assigned (see Add a View Category).
Visibility Radio buttons Required: One of the following, which determines which collection the view is part of in the Library tab:
Private: view will be available only to you.
Shared: view will be available company wide.

Note: Saved view properties can also be set and edited in the Saved View pane at the top of the Query sidebar on a saved view page in the Library.

Add a View Category

The Add New option at the top of the Category drop-down enables you to add a category:

  1. Enter the name of the new category into the field that appears when you select the option.
  2. Click the Add button. A notification will appear indicating that the category has been added successfully. You'll now be able to select the new category in the drop-down list.
 

Manage Saved Views

The management of Saved Views is covered in the following topics:

 
top  |  section

Create a View

A view can be saved directly from Data Explorer, or a "blank" view can be created with the Add button in the Library (see Library Controls) and configured later.

To create a saved view:

  1. Start in either Data Explorer or the Library:
    - In Data Explorer, choose Create Saved View from the Actions menu in the SubNav.
    - In the Library, choose New Saved View from the drop-down menu on the Add button.
  2. In the resulting Add Saved View dialog, specify the properties of the view (name, description, etc.) in the fields described in Saved View Properties.
  3. Click the Add Saved View button to save the new view and return to where you started (either Data Explorer or the Library). A notice will appear indicating that the view has been saved. If you're in Data Explorer, the title bar of the graph will now include a “Saved View” label.
 
top  |  section

Load a View

A saved view is displayed on an individual saved view page within the Library. To open a saved view page, click on the view's name in the one of the lists on the main Library page (Categorized Views, Uncategorized Views, Favorites, or Recently Viewed).

 
top  |  section

Edit a View

Either a view itself (e.g. query settings in the sidebar) or the properties of that view (e.g. description) can be edited.

Edit View Properties

To edit a saved view’s properties (name, description, or sharing settings):

  1. In the Library, click the context menu icon at the right of the card for a saved view in a views list (see Library Views Lists), then choose Edit Properties from the menu.
  2. In the resulting Edit Saved View dialog, edit the properties of the view (see Saved View Properties).
  3. Click the Save button to save the edited properties and return to the Library. A notification will confirm that the edited properties were saved.

Edit View Query

To edit a view’s query and display settings:

  1. In the Library, find the card for a saved view in a views list, then click on the name of the saved view, which will take you to the individual saved view page for that view.
  2. In the SubNav, click the Options button, which will open the right sidebar and enable you to change the saved view's query settings (see Query Sidebar Controls), including view type, data sources, dimensions, filtering, etc..
  3. Once you've made changes, you have three options:
    - Save: If you'd like to keep the changes to this saved view, click the Save button. A popup notification will confirm that the changes have been saved.
    - Save as...: If you'd like to keep this saved view as it was when opened but save the current (changed) settings to a new saved view, click the down-triangle on the Save button and choose Save as.... A Create Saved View dialog will open, enabling you to specify Saved View Properties. When you click Save in the dialog you'll be taken to the newly created saved view.
    - Revert: If you don't want to save your changes at all, click the Revert button. All settings will revert to the values they had when the saved view was last saved.
© 2014- Kentik
In this article:
×